Weak law enforcement blamed for rampant illegal logging<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The absence of strict measures and weak law enforcement have been
\nblamed for rampant illegal logging, which causes US$12 billion in
\nannual losses to the state.<\/p>\n
Despite frequent nationwide exposure to the problem in the
\nmass media, illegal logging continues not only in forests but
\nmainly in national parks and protected areas under the noses of
\nsecurity personnel.<\/p>\n
According to data from The Jakarta Post, illegal logging has
\nbeen rampant in Gunung Leuser National Park in Aceh, Kerinci
\nSeblat National Park, located in the provinces of West Sumatra,
\nJambi, Riau, South Sumatra and Bengkulu, Mulawarman National Park
\nin South Kalimantan and Roro Lindu in Central Sulawesi following
\nthe economic crisis that hit Asia in 1997.<\/p>\n
The Jambi provincial administration has deployed local police
\nofficers to help the forest police unit apprehend illegal
\nloggers, but this action had yet to produce any results.<\/p>\n
Jambi Governor Zulkiffli Nurdin said he received many
\ncomplaints about rife illegal logging in Kerinci Seblat National
\nReserve, but no measures had been taken yet to stop it.<\/p>\n
The national reserve, covering 1.48 million hectares in four
\nprovinces, is home to a large number of rare species of flora and
\nfauna.<\/p>\n
He said local forestry officials and the authorities in the
\nfour provinces must take firm action against all sides involved
\nin looting the forests. \"The presence of sawmills near the
\nnational park is an indication that they are getting their raw
\nmaterial from the park,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Antara reported on Friday that the local prosecutor's office
\nin Muara Bulian in Jambi was fighting for the return of 23 trucks
\nloaded with a total of 400 cubic meters of illegal logs, which
\nwere confiscated by local police for not having the necessary
\ndocuments last month.<\/p>\n
The local police have arrested only the drivers of the
\nvehicles, while PT Citra Getar Alam president Memeng, the alleged
\nowner of the illegal logs, was still at large.<\/p>\n
Maman Lukman, the chief of the South Sumatra office of state-
\nowned PT Inhutani and staff member Yaniri are facing prosecution
\nfor their alleged involvement in illegal logging.<\/p>\n
Antara also reported on Friday that the prosecutor's office in
\nEast Tanjung Jabung Regency had yet to bring to court PT Mitra
\nAlam Indonesia, which was found guilty by local police for
\ncutting down trees outside its concession.<\/p>\n
Adj. Sr. Comr. Kokot Indarto, chief of East Tanjung Jabung
\nPolice, said that the police had confiscated thousands of cubic
\nmeters of logs, which were allegedly stolen by the timber company
\noutside its concession in the regency.<\/p>\n
The company is jointly owned by local timber businessman Apiu,
\n38, and a former regent of the regency.<\/p>\n
Southeast Sulawesi Governor Kaimoeddin Panulele said the
\nauthorities should arrest timber businessmen believed to have
\ndeployed forest squatters to loot forest reserves in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
He said that the provincial administration no longer had the
\npower to prosecute illegal loggers because the authorities were
\nin a power struggle with the regents over the regional autonomy
\nlegislation.<\/p>\n
According to reports from The Jakarta Post in Irian Jaya,
\nillegal loggers have conspired with security personnel to ship
\ntimber out of the province.<\/p>\n
Law enforcers, especially the local police, the tax and excise
\noffice and government prosecutors, have been reluctant to
\nprosecute local businessmen involved in illegal logging because
\nthey were allegedly backed up by Army and Navy personnel.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Research and Technology Hatta Radjasa said
\nearly this week that Indonesia came in second after Brazil for
\nsupplying logs to the international market, but 70 percent of
\nthose exported came from illegal logging.<\/p>\n
\"There is a strong indication that illegal logging is still
\nrife and the government has yet to act optimally to curb the
\nlooting of forests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hatta said illegal logging had contributed to the haze problem
\nsince many deforested areas were burned for converting them into
\nfarmland and plantations.<\/p>\n
Budy P. Resosudarmo, a researcher for the Australian National
\nUniversity, criticized the government for its failure to take
\nstern action against illegal logging, which was costing the
\ncountry $12 billion annually.<\/p>\n
He did not elaborate on Indonesia's annual wood exports or
\ntheir value, but said 70 percent of Indonesia's wood on the
\ninternational market came from illegal logging.<\/p>\n
He said that the government had not responded to numerous
\nsides' great concern over the poor condition of forests.<\/p>\n
\"Illegal logging will continue amid the poor forestry
\nmanagement, which has been caused by a tug-of-war between the
\ncentral government and local administrations under regional
\nautonomy,\" Antara quoted him as saying in Canberra.<\/p>\n
He said the House of Representatives should pass a law giving
\nregencies the full authority to control forests.<\/p>",
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